Matthew Cox

Matthew Cox has been a defense reporter since 1998. During his time with Military.com he covered all the services, with a close eye on Army weapons development and procurement, body armor testing, camouflage, ammunition as well as readiness and training issues. He previously worked for 12 years for Army Times. He traveled to Afghanistan and Iraq numerous times from 2002 to 2008, covering Stryker and light infantry units in combat. He also spent four years in the U.S. Army during the second half of the 1980s, serving as an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division.

Latest Articles

A Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV) equipped with a box-style launcher holding two Hellfire Missiles and a .50 caliber machine gun to make a mine-hunting mission package. Textron Systems displayed the proof-of-concept, surface-warfare mission package Modern Day Marine 2019. (Matthew Cox/Military.com)

Textron Shows Off Mine-Hunting Drone Boat Armed with Hellfire Missiles

Textron Systems is working with the Navy to turn a mine-sweeping unmanned surface vessel into a mine-hunting craft.

The Air Force is adopting the Army's Operational Camouflage Pattern for its new combat uniform and began incrementally phasing it in Oct. 1. The Air Force will differentiate itself by using a "spice brown color" for velcro patches, name tape and insignia. Air Force photo

Exchange to Airmen: Don't Buy New OCP Uniforms from Unauthorized Dealers

Air Force Personnel looking to buy their OCP uniforms should only purchase them at Army & Air Force Exchange Service stores.

American tanks and soldiers take part in a yearly military parade marking the Polish Army Day, in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)

Army Growth May Not Keep Pace with Deployments: General

Even as the Army prepares to grow, Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson still worries about units not having enough time between...

A mural for Army Spc. Vanessa Guillen in Austin, Texas.

Army Disciplines 13 Leaders, Confirms Murdered Soldier Vanessa Guillen Was Sexually Harassed

The report found that Guillen twice tried to report that she had been sexually harassed, but leaders failed to take...

AN/PRC 148 2-channel Leader radio to transmit position location.

Army Light Infantry, Stryker and Armored Forces Are Getting This Advanced Comms Gear

Fielding a more robust tactical network that can stand against enemy cyber and EW attacks is one of the Army's top...

Army simulated real world injury and simulated real world MEDEVAC

Army Wants New Medical Gel that Seals Off Hemorrhaging Wounds on the Battlefield

The Army Research Laboratory is providing technical oversight on a new hemostatic gel known as StatBond.

The Army has adjusted its ponytail policy.

Army Allows Female Soldiers to Wear Long Ponytails in All Uniforms

Initially, female soldiers could wear long ponytails only while conducting fitness training and during field training.

Section of the poster for “The Calling.”

Army Embraces Anime in New Recruiting Campaign

"The Calling" is a series of short videos being aired on YouTube focused on five soldiers from difficult backgrounds.

Retired Col. Ralph Puckett Jr visits U.S. Army Rangers.

Army Ranger Legend to Receive Medal of Honor at 94

President Biden will upgrade Ralph Puckett's Distinguished Service Cross to the Medal of Honor.

Sig Sauer officials test fire the auto rifle prototype of their NGSW prototype.

New Video Teases Sig Sauer Prototypes for Army's Next Gen-Weapons Effort

The video comes as Sig and its two competitors wait for the Army to complete the final phase of testing.

Col. Christopher Warner at Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Army Commander of JBLM Hospital Removed Over Undisclosed Allegations

Col. Christopher Warner has been suspended from the job since Oct. 5.

Extended Range Cannon Artillery System, or ERCA, being tested.

Army Eyes Autonomous Robotic Arm to Rapidly Resupply its Futuristic Long-Range Howitzer

Apptronik Inc.'s prototype robotic arm features a design that can lift more than current robotic arms while weighing less.

Fort Drum Commander Fired over Alleged Misconduct

A Fort Drum spokesman would not release details about the charges, but said they were "administrative in nature."

Army Identifies Reserve Soldier Found Dead in Kuwait

Staff Sgt. Christopher F. Pantos was found dead in his living quarters at Ali Al Salem Air Base, according to the Pentagon.

Army Platoon Leader Creates App to Help Grunts Earn the Expert Infantryman Badge

First Lt. Egor Krasnonosenkikh created the EIB Pro by teaching himself how to program through YouTube videos.

Military News

Get the Military Insider Newsletter

Get the latest on pay updates, benefit changes and award-winning military content. Right in your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice.

Thank you for subscribing!

View more newsletters on our Subscriptions page.

One last step.

Verify your free subscription by following the instructions in the email sent to:

Most Popular Military News

Rep. Michael Lawler, R-N.Y., left, confronts House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.

Federal Government Shutdown Grinds into a Second Week as Tempers Flare at the Capitol

As the federal government shutdown enters a second week, there’s no discernible endgame in sight.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) questions U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as she testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Trump Targets Blumenthal, Calling for Investigation into Senator's Vietnam Service Claims

President Donald Trump is targeting U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal again after Connecticut’s senior U.S. senator grilled U.S...

Pvt. Paul Douglas, age 50, performs a rifle inspection with his drill instructor aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot S.C., 1942. Douglas, at age 50 was the oldest recruit in the history of Parris Island, and went on to become a purple heart recipient and Chicago senator (DVIDS).

At 50, He Survived Marine Boot Camp — Then Fought at Peleliu and Okinawa

When 50-year-old Paul Douglas showed up at Marine Corps boot camp in 1942, the white-haired economics professor looked more...

Pack and transport platoon of the Russian army. Southern Military District. Ministry of Defense of Russia (Wikimedia Commons).

Ukrainian Drones Attack Russian Cavalry Troops in Rare 21st-Century Encounter

A short video circulating online this month appears to show a Russian mounted patrol being struck by a Ukrainian drone near...

When The Government Can Afford Everything Except The Essentials

Every shutdown forces the government to decide what counts as “essential.” Air traffic controllers and TSA agents fall into...

Troops Will Miss Paychecks Next Week Without Action on the Government Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is raising anxiety levels among service members and their families, because those in uniform...

Latest Military Videos

US Vice President JD Vance Discusses Renewed Violence in Gaza

US Vice President JD Vance on Sunday said there would be “fits and starts” in the truce between Israel...

Trump Considering Tomahawks' Request from Zelenskyy, Vance Says

The United States is considering a request by Ukraine for long-range Tomahawk missiles, US Vice President JD Vance has...

Children Among the Killed and Injured by Israeli Strikes Arrive at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis

Children were among the killed and injured by Israeli strikes on Sunday, and arrived at Nasser hospital in Khan...

Israel Carries Out a Series of Airstrikes in Southern Lebanon

Israel's army carried out a series of airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Thursday, targeting a cement plant and a...

Investigations and Features

In One of the Marines' Most Iconic Jobs, a Stunning Pattern of Suicide

Marine Corps drill instructors are a national symbol of discipline. But for some, their imposing persona belies a dark...

Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

Unsupervised: Military Child Care Centers Slow to Report Abuse with Little Oversight

A Military.com investigation into military day care centers revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize...

Army News

U.S. Army soldiers launch a drone at Yakima Training Center, Washington, July 2025. The Army is creating specialized multifunctional reconnaissance companies that integrate drones, electronic warfare systems, and traditional reconnaissance capabilities. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Adeline Witherspoon)

How Ukraine’s Drone War Is Forcing the U.S. Army to Rewrite Its Battle Doctrine

The Army is overhauling how it fights in combat based on lessons from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where drones have become...

Thousands of U.S. Government E-mails Exposed on the Dark Web — Including White House and Pentagon Accounts

NordVPN says thousands of U.S. government email addresses, including some tied to the White House, State Department and...

Navy News

Trump Backs Retired Navy SEAL in His Quest to Oust Kentucky Rep. Massie in Republican Primary

Retired Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein has not entered the race, but he said he would reveal his plans soon while praising President...

Russian-made military vehicles on display in Caracas during a 2014 commemoration. Venezuela continues to rely heavily on Russian military equipment, including tanks, armored vehicles and air defense systems now positioned to counter U.S. forces in the Caribbean. (Cancillería del Ecuador/Wikimedia Commons)

What U.S. Forces Face as Venezuela Puts Russian-Armed Military on Wartime Alert

The 10,000 U.S. troops now operating in the Caribbean were sent to interdict drug boats. But Venezuelan President Nicolás...

Air Force News

GOP Lawmaker With Furloughed Military Spouse Calls Firing of Federal Workers 'Mixed Bag'

Threats to fire federal workers have occurred as the government shutdown could soon become the second longest ever unless a...

What We Know About the Devastating Alaska Storm and the Evacuation Effort

Hundreds of residents from remote Alaska Native villages are being airlifted after a storm battered their communities.

Space Force News

U.S. Air Force U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rachel Harmon and Master Sgt. Tom Anderson, weapons loaders assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, checks an inert GBU 12 laser guided missile on an MQ-9 Reaper at Springfield-Beckley Air National Guard Base in Springfield, Ohio.

Two Space Force Units Bring the 'Invisible Front Line' to Ohio

A ceremonial ribbon-cutting is planned for Friday for the Space Intelligence Production Cell at the Springfield-Beckley Air...

A painting of a Defense Support Program satellite from the Air Force Art collection. DSP provides a variety of national security capabilities. Its flagship mission of launch detection was made famous during the Cold War. (U.S. Air Force image)

Clearing The Orbits: Space Force Partnerships In Orbital Cleanup

The growing congestion of Earth orbit has raised risks to satellites, space stations, and long-term space sustainability. The...

Marine Corps News

Artillery Round Explodes Over I-5 During Marine Demo at Camp Pendleton

Vice President JD Vance was on base earlier for the event but was not in danger following an artillery round explosion during...

US Vice President JD Vance walks on stage to deliver remarks as part of the Marine Corps' 250th anniversary celebration at Camp Pendleton, California, on Oct. 18, 2025. (Oliver Contreras/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

How Military’s ‘Safe’ Plan to Fire Munitions Over Interstate 5 Went off the Rails With CHP Cruiser Hit

The plan involved Marines firing high explosive rounds from M777 Howitzers — artillery used to launch shells in wars in...

Coast Guard News

A Coast Guardsman stands on the forward deck of a 45-foot response boat-medium and prepares to handle line on a channel marker buoy outside of the Honolulu harbor entrance.

Coast Guard’s Pacific Mission Continues to Expand

As tensions with China continue to simmer and drug war operations ramp up in the Americas, the Coast Guard’s duties continue...